Brief Pathophysiology

The severe acute respiratory syndrome due to coronavirus-2 infection (SARS-CoV-2) was first described in humans in December 2019 in Wuhan, China [1]. SARS-CoV-2 is the third coronavirus that has emerged in the last 20 years, and its pandemic infection was declared on March 11, 2020, by the World Health Organization [1]. The potential impact of SARS-CoV-2 disease (COVID-19) on the kidney is still undetermined. Emerging evidence indicates that renal involvement is frequently observed in COVID-19 patients, with peculiar characteristics among those with chronic kidney disease, end-stage renal disease, and kidney transplant recipients [2]. Patients diagnosed with acute kidney injury (AKI) present a more severe clinical picture, worst illness severity scores, persistent lymphopenia, and require invasive mechanical ventilation and vasoactive support during hospitalization. These characteristics ultimately suggest AKI as a marker of COVID-19 severity [3].